Strikeforce Challengers 15 Stock Report

STOCKTON, Calif. -- Strikeforce Challengers 15 hit the Stockton
Arena Friday night, with five bouts on the Showtime-televised card.
In the main event, Justin
Wilcox scored a technical knockout of former Strikeforce
lightweight title challenger Rodrigo
Damm after the conclusion of the first round, following a
brutal five-minute assault that left the canvas and Damm bloodied.
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Justin
Wilcox: Following up on his impressive decision of Vitor
Ribeiro, Wilcox pressed the action, scoring with big rights to
set the tone. Damm was exceptionally game, but could do little more
than eat a sustained beating throughout the first round.
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Wilcox's power and wrestling are a strong base. His improving
standup game is a key addition; with it, he'll be exceptionally
tough to deal with, especially as he gets more comfortable
unloading his big shots. Â

Lorenz
Larkin: A late sub for Satoshi
Ishii, Larkin came into his bout against Scott
Lighty with an 8-0 record and nothing to lose. He fought like
it, showcasing a busy and exciting standup style, en route to an
upset KO at 3:15 of the second round. Larkin's a talented fighter,
using a medley of varying strikes, and he kept Lighty constantly
guessing. Â

Larkin had a breakout performance here in finishing the K-1
veteran, and to the brave go the spoils. After opening with
thudding leg kicks in the opening round, and using spry movement,
he drilled Lighty with several good kicks and punches, and taking a
few in return. Â

Larkin took the first round, and was winning the second big, when
he drilled Lighty with a bodacious left uppercut that split the
guard and dropped the decorated kickboxer hard for the win.
Late-sub bouts are always interesting, especially when it's a
virtual unknown stepping in against a name guy. Larkin's definitely
a talent to watch in the light heavyweight division. Â

James
Terry: A fast welterweight, Terry showed he's the goods in
a first-round KO of Josh
Thornburg. Opening with a hard right hand in the first moments
of the bout, Terry utilized efficient movement, and increasingly
sharp combos in the fight, which never hit the mat. Â

Thornburg seemed to be trying to get his rhythm and time Terry, and
landed a couple glancing counters, but Terry eventually found a hot
one. Timing a nice right hand over a jab, he drilled Thornburg,
dropping him on the spot to end the duel. With his strong
collegiate wrestling background and gifted standup, he'll
definitely warrant attention with this impressive win. Â

Terry has a knack for good public relations, as well. In his
postfight interview, he said that he wants to fight Ronnie from
“Jersey Shore.” The crowd loved it; no word on whether Ronnie is
willing. Â

Caros
"The Future" Fodor File photo

Fodor dominated David Douglas.

Caros
Fodor: Using aggressive, in-close fighting and a superior
ground game, Fodor wore down David
Douglas for a third-round standing TKO. The pair spent much of
the bout either engaged in the clinch or on the mat, and Fodor
simply soldiered ahead, putting mustard on strikes from in close,
often landing with hard knees in the trenches. Â

His work rate eventually wore Douglas out, and he seized the
opportunity in the third, planting Douglas against the cage and
repeatedly bashing him with whatever was available. It was a good
showing for Fodor, who showed an intensity and aggression you look
for at this level. Â

Hold

Wayne
Phillips: In a spirited performance, Phillips hung tough
against Damion
Douglas. His standup was a little wild at times, but he used
his southpaw stance and reach to land some nice shots against
Douglas. Dropping a split decision, Phillips did pretty well, and
if he can sharpen up his striking he should move a couple notches
up the ladder. Â

Damion
Douglas: Winner of a controversial split duke over fellow
welterweight Phillips, Douglas was sharper on the feet, but not as
active. After Phillips sunk a threatening rear-naked choke at the
end of the first round, Douglas needed time to regain his wind.
Outworked in spots over the rest of the fight, he nonetheless
rallied back in some exchanges to win the decision. Â

Stock Down

Rodrigo
Damm: Damm was brave in taking a one-sided shellacking in
the main event against Wilcox, and simply couldn't get on track.
It's always tough being a submission-based specialist in this
sport, especially as wrestlers improve their standup. Â

Scott
Lighty: Originally slated to face judo specialist Satoshi
Ishii, Lighty got late sub Lorenz
Larkin instead, an unbeaten upstart who beat him standing,
despite Lighty's presumed advantages there. Such fights are always
tougher for a guy in Lighty's position, and are virtually no-win
affairs. Lighty showed a big-time chin in taking hard shots from
the dangerous Larkin, until the end came in the second round.
Â

David
Douglas: Outworked and stopped in three by Fodor, Douglas
gave a game effort, one that was increasing against an incoming
tide he couldn't stem. He opened up strong, but couldn't seem to
hold off Fodor's work in the clinch, which eventually sapped him
and led to the defeat. He didn't win here, but showed that, with
some better conditioning and technical refinement, he could win at
this level given time to improve in those areas.

Josh
Thornburg: Outsped against James Terry,
Thornburg looked like he was settling down into a
tortoise-catches-hare strategy. Just when he started to look dialed
in, Terry dropped the hammer, defeating him via KO. A tough loss
for Thornburg. Â